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The Secret to a Better BFCM: Start with Better Products
Unboxed Weekly
August 06, 2025
Hey there,
We’re in the final stretch before peak season. While everyone’s fine-tuning their promos, ad creative, and email flows, there’s one thing most DTC brands forget:
📦 The product itself.
No matter how great your BFCM marketing is, it can’t save a product with slim margins, quality issues, or poor supplier terms. If you’ve ever discounted too deep just to move inventory—or ran out of stock in the middle of a campaign—you know the pain.
That’s why now is the perfect time to rethink your new product launches before Black Friday hits.
Here’s how to make sure the next SKU you launch is a cash booster, not a cash trap.
1. Choose a Product That Earns Its Keep
A cool idea isn’t enough. Use data to back your decision:
Check your top-converting customer segments—what else are they buying?
Look at your AOV and price band: where’s the gap you can fill?
Aim for 65–70% gross margin at a minimum, even after promo discounts.
🛠️ Next Steps:
Pull last 90 days of top customer orders → spot bundle/upsell opportunities.
Build a simple P&L model: cost, packaging, shipping, promos → target retail price.
Ask: Can this SKU make money at 30% off?
2. Build Your BOM Before You Design
Most founders design the product first, then try to “make it cheaper.” That’s backwards.
Start by setting a target landed cost, and reverse-engineer from there.
Use 2–3 suppliers to get real quotes
Include everything: product, packaging, testing, duties, freight
Lock in margin before you sample
🛠️ Next Steps:
Set your ideal price & margin → calculate max landed cost
Request quotes from 3 suppliers (even if you love one)
Simulate cost changes if you bundle, switch materials, or ship differently
Fractional supply chain support for fast-growing DTC brands.
From sourcing to fulfillment, Move helps you scale smarter—without the full-time overhead. Learn about our 30-day trial here.
3. Test Once, Not Five Times
Endless sampling kills time and morale—and pushes your launch too close to BFCM. Run fast, structured test rounds:
Use tech packs with detailed requirements
Give suppliers a clear feedback form
Approve only when it hits your checklist (not just “it feels good”)
🛠️ Next Steps:
Draft your pass/fail criteria: cost, fit, feel, durability, packaging
Give your supplier a 1-page feedback summary after the first sample
Limit yourself to 2 sample rounds max—then move forward or cut
4. Plan the Launch with Ops from Day One
BFCM SKUs don’t just need marketing—they need stock, packaging, and timelines to line up. Work backwards:
Build a PERT timeline from sample approval to ship date
Confirm lead times with every supplier
Add a +2 week buffer if you’re running air freight
🛠️ Next Steps:
Schedule your PO cutoff date (based on fulfillment date + transit time)
Confirm production slots with vendors now—BFCM is peak time for them too
Add ship/receive dates to your campaign calendar
5. Align Product, Promo, and Profit
A launch isn’t just about getting live—it’s about selling through profitably.
Plan your discount tiers in advance: MSRP → early bird → promo pricing
Decide where this SKU fits: AOV booster? New hero? GWP?
Make sure it lifts, not drags, your peak season margin
🛠️ Next Steps:
Build 3 price scenarios: Full Price, Promo, Clearance
Project profit per unit at each tier
Set reorder trigger based on sales velocity + campaign calendar
Your “Ready for Launch” Checklist
✅ Margin model complete
✅ Supplier quotes in + tech pack ready
✅ First sample feedback logged
✅ PERT timeline in ClickUp / Notion
✅ Launch pricing tiers finalized
You’ve still got time—but not much. Products launching now will hit shelves right in time for BFCM. Do it right, and that one product could unlock $30–50K in margin and give your customers something worth adding to cart.
Let me know if you want a sample P&L model or BOM calculator—I’ll send it your way.
Until next time,
—Lara